What to cook?
So, what can you eat for dinner when losing weight, what is the best way to satisfy your hunger in the evening? Firstly, in principle, eating in the evening is important and necessary. The body continues to be awake, which means it needs additional calories and nutrients to function properly.
If you are losing weight, then adhere to the basic principles of healthy eating in the evening:
- Eat fresh vegetables;
- In general, of course, you can eat a huge portion in the evening, but we still recommend choosing a small portion for dinner - this way your digestion will not interfere with your sleep;
- Contrary to the common myth about losing weight, you can eat fruit in the evening. Apples, oranges, mangoes - all this is acceptable in the evening diet;
- Seafood will help you recover after a hard day at work. They contain substances that relieve stress for the whole body;
- Before dinner, you can drink a glass of warm drinking water. This will prevent you from overeating at the table;
- Snacks are also acceptable. A small portion of cottage cheese or nuts, a vegetable or fruit - all this can be eaten even late in the evening;
- Count your calories. If you seriously don’t get enough during the day, then you are allowed to eat something filling. For example, boiled chicken or salmon steak.
Many people who are losing weight torment themselves with evening fasting. “Don’t eat after six” is a common mistake of everyone who is on a diet. Unfortunately, this approach does not always work; the body begins to resist, accumulates and stores fat deposits “in reserve.” So never fall into this trap of fasting. A healthy dinner without excess sugar, fast food and soda should be among the habits of every person.
What is better not to eat in the evening when losing weight?
Let's consider what it is better to avoid in the evening:
- Too many “heavy” carbohydrates: pasta, fried meat, french fries, etc.;
- Too much protein without balance with fiber: boiled eggs, chicken, fish, bananas;
- Flour and sugar - buns, custard pies, milk chocolate.
Remember that you can eat almost everything in small quantities. It is better to drink green tea and still water. Avoid packaged juices (except tomato or vegetable juices without salt) and soda.
Turkey breast stuffed with vegetables
This bright and very appetizing dish is perfect not only for adults, but also for children. You can add absolutely any vegetables you like to the filling.
- Ingredients:
- Turkey breast – 2 pcs.;
- Onion – 1 pc.;
- Carrots – 1 pc.;
- Zucchini – 1/2 pcs.;
- Sweet pepper – 1 pc.;
- Egg – 1 pc.;
- Cheese – 100 g;
- Salt and spices - to taste.
Peel the vegetables and cut into small cubes. Add about 70 g of chopped cheese there. Beat the egg, salt and add your favorite spices. Wash and dry the breasts, add salt and pepper to taste. Make small slits and fill them with filling. Pour a little water into the bottom of the baking dish and place the breasts. Bake at 180 degrees for about half an hour. Grate the remaining cheese and sprinkle it over the breasts. Bake for another 10 minutes until fully cooked.
Refusing dinner: reviews and results
To better understand how a diet without dinner can be harmful, let’s look at reviews from those who have tried a diet that excludes eating in the evenings.
Lena, 19 years old:
“With a height of 163 centimeters, I weighed 72 kilograms. I decided to take care of myself. Of course, everyone has heard that to lose weight quickly you don’t need to eat after six in the evening. I started making efforts on myself and stopped eating in the evening. At first it was very difficult, but then my body got used to it. At least that's what I thought. At night I began to sleep poorly, and large circles appeared under my eyes in the morning. The body periodically ached, but at the same time the kilograms went away slowly, and the excess fat remained in place. After a month of fasting, one evening I couldn’t stand it and at about one in the morning I ran to the refrigerator. I don’t even remember how much I ate. But in the morning I felt even worse. Such breakdowns began to happen to me all the time. As a result, a friend advised me to see a professional nutritionist. And she advised me not to lose weight, but to engage in intense physical activity. And only then did the results appear.”
Victoria, 40 years old.
“After having a child quite late - at 37 years old - I gained a lot. I wanted to get rid of 10 kilograms, so I stopped eating after six in the evening. Sometimes I allowed myself kefir or a bar of dark chocolate. But the body began to fail already in the second week. There was no strength for sports, but a wild desire to eat something arose every minute. She began to take her anger out on her husband and child. I choked on asparagus and lettuce, but I always felt hungry. Then I decided to abandon this “shock” technique in favor of fractional nutrition. And after a year I got into shape.”
Lidia Semenovna, 55 years old.
“Due to excess weight, diabetes appeared. The doctor prescribed a strict diet. But I decided to lose weight at the same time. I refused to eat in the evenings. But such a diet did not help. In the morning and afternoon I really wanted to eat, I started eating everything indiscriminately. Therefore, problems with diabetes have increased. I even had to go to the hospital. After hospitalization, I returned to a normal healthy diet based on balance. Giving up excess sugar can only be beneficial.”
So, what foods can you eat in the evening while losing weight, and what unusual and tasty things to cook for dinner with recipes?
How to fight hunger while losing weight?
High calorie diet menu
Any high-calorie diet menu is organized according to the principles of fractional meals. The meaning is utilitarian, it’s not at all about “promoting metabolism” or similar mythical things. Large amounts of food are quite difficult to digest, so each serving should be medium in volume. In the practice of sports, during periods of “forced overeating”, enzymes for digestion are also taken. But this is not necessary for everyone, because there are also people with naturally good gastrointestinal activity.
A common mistake is to increase your caloric intake only through sugar and saturated fat. Of course, a high-calorie diet allows their consumption, but an excess of these substances in the diet can lead to damage to the liver and pancreas. This is especially likely in those people who are already predisposed to diseases. Therefore, food should still be closer to healthy than to “any”.
A sample menu might look like this:
Breakfast: 2-3 scrambled eggs with low-fat bacon, vegetables.
Second breakfast: muesli with nuts, dried fruits, kefir or milk, fruit if desired.
Lunch: any side dish of cereal, a portion of meat dish, vegetable salad, tea with dried fruits or banana.
Snack: again cereal, a portion of meat or fish, a portion of healthy fats.
Before training: a protein shake with juice or banana (sometimes both), or cookies with tea and any dairy product of your choice.
Dinner: again meat or fish, a side dish of cereals, can be replaced with potatoes or pasta if they are digested normally. Vegetables of your choice.
Before bed: a portion of cottage cheese; if fructose is well tolerated, you can add honey and fruit; if not, it’s better to replace it with pure casein protein.
From time to time you can have free meals - pastries, pancakes, sweets, but the point is not to eat only them. You need to follow general recommendations for creating a healthy menu, and make sure that sweet and objectively harmful foods are in your diet only 1-2 times a week, and not every day.
After training
What to eat in a healthy diet or diet after training in the evening? The main thing is to remember that there is no protein-carbohydrate window and you don’t have to stuff yourself with food like the last time. However, you shouldn’t go hungry either: many people believe that you shouldn’t eat carbohydrates in the evening, especially after a workout. But that's not true.
In fact, the body needs not only to recover, but also to replenish the necessary supply of vitamins and microelements. Both proteins and carbohydrates are needed so that we can function normally. The main thing is portions and calorie counting. If you have burned enough during the day, you can afford a hearty and healthy dinner.
Foods to eat after training in the evening:
- Cottage cheese with fruit.
- Buckwheat with vegetables and chicken.
- Fruit as a dessert.
- Vegetable salad with cheese and tuna, dressed with oil.
- Egg omelet with stewed vegetables.
- Something from seafood.
Don't forget to replenish your fluid supply; it doesn't have to be three liters of water a day. The body itself tells us when it is thirsty, listen to it more carefully.
For more information about nutrition before and after training, REGARDLESS of time, read Nutrition before and after training or the myth of the protein-carbohydrate window
A selection of low-carb recipes
Omelette with avocado and vegetables
Ingredients for 1 serving:
- 2 eggs
- Milk 100 ml
- Avocado 30 gr
- Tomatoes 150 gr
- Greenery
Beat eggs with milk. Chop tomatoes and avocado. Mix everything and pour into a preheated non-stick frying pan. Simmer covered until done.
Kbju for 1 serving: 273/16/17/13
Chicken fillet Italian style
Ingredients for 1 serving:
- Chicken fillet – 150 gr
- Tomato paste – 30 g
- Mozzarella – 50 gr
- Tomato – 50 gr
- Basil
Beat the chicken fillet, salt and pepper. Place on a non-stick frying pan. Simmer for a few minutes. Turn over to the other side. Coat the top with tomato paste. Place the tomato cut into slices. Sprinkle grated mozzarella on top. Cover with a lid and simmer for a few more minutes until done.
Kbju for 1 serving: 350/49/12/10
Chicken sausages
Ingredients for 1 serving:
- Chicken fillet 150 gr
- White of 1 egg
- Milk 30 ml
- Salt, spices
Mix all ingredients in a blender. Spoon the resulting mass onto a baking sleeve or cling film. Roll up the sausage and twist the edges. Cook in boiling water for 12-15 minutes. The film must be removed before use.
Kbju for 1 serving: 200/40/3/2
Chicken balls with cottage cheese
Ingredients for 1 serving:
- Chicken fillet 150 gr
- Cottage cheese 2% fat 50 g
- Egg 1 pc.
- Salt pepper
Grind chicken fillet into mince. Mix the minced meat with cottage cheese and egg. Salt and pepper. Form small round balls with wet hands. Place on a silicone mat or in a special baking dish. Place in the oven. Serve with green vegetable salad.
Kbju for 1 serving: 285/49/7/2
Omelet with green beans
Ingredients for 1 serving:
- Green beans 150 gr
- Chicken eggs 2 pcs
- Tomato 50 gr
- Dill, greens
You can use frozen green beans to make an omelet. In this case, you need to boil it first. Cut the tomato into cubes. Beat eggs and mix with beans and tomatoes. Pour the resulting mixture into a non-stick frying pan and simmer until tender, stirring with a spatula. Paint the top with greenery. Don't forget to add salt to taste.
Kbju for 1 serving: 188/14/9/14
note
Did you like the recipes, but think that counting calories is long and tedious? Especially for you, nutritionist and blogger Elena Smirnova @lena_manilovka has compiled a diet for 4 weeks. All you need to do is go to the store with a grocery list ready and weigh each ingredient on a kitchen scale. You no longer have to plan the menu yourself and worry about what to cook.
The plan includes only simple and tasty dishes from available products. Follow the link and enter your parameters. The calculator will automatically calculate the required calorie content for you and offer a ready-made menu. The first 100 customers will receive a 55% discount.
What sweets can you eat?
When losing weight in the evening, you can eat various sweets. You cannot limit yourself in food if your body requires it. It is acceptable to eat: dark chocolate, Turkish delight, marshmallows, kozinaki, puddings, jellies, yoghurts, sweet curd mass, fruits. Sugar-free agar-agar-based gummies are also useful as a snack.
The main thing for those with a sweet tooth to remember is that the number of sweets should be limited! Read more about recipes and snacks in the article from the series on our website .
Veal meatballs in sauce
Another simple and quite interesting recipe for every day. The sauce gives the meat amazing juiciness, and it also makes an excellent gravy.
Ingredients:
- Veal – 1/2 kg;
- Onion – 1 pc.;
- Carrots – 1 pc.;
- Egg – 1 pc.;
- Garlic – 2 cloves;
- Natural yogurt – 1 glass;
- Salt, herbs and spices - to taste.
Wash and dry the meat, peel the vegetables. Pass the veal, onions, carrots and garlic through a meat grinder. Beat in the egg, add salt and spices, mix. Form small balls from the prepared minced meat and place in a frying pan. Add boiling water and simmer over low heat for about 15 minutes. Then add yogurt to the pan and leave to simmer until fully cooked.
Blitz tips
- Don't overeat, but don't go hungry in the evening.
- Give up starchy foods and sweets in favor of healthy foods.
- Fast food is evil, but macaroni and cheese is perfectly acceptable.
- Instead of smoothies and kefir, choose a full dinner of meat, fish and side dishes.
- Don't deny yourself sweets if you really want them. But choose your sweets wisely.
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This article was reviewed by a certified nutritionist who has a bachelor's degree in nutrition and dietetics, D. G. Veremeev.
Articles are for informational and educational purposes only and are not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your physician with any questions you may have about a medical condition.
